Recent Posts

Ancient duons may underpin spatial patterning of gene expression in C4 leaves

C4 photosynthesis describes a biochemical CO2-concentrating mechanism that relies on the spatial separation of biochemistry between two cell types, mesophyll cells (MCs) and bundle sheath cells (BSCs). However, there is currently little evidence on how some genes are preferentially expressed in BSCs…

Dynamic thylakoid stacking regulates the balance between linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron transfer

The activation of photosynthetic electron transport upon a dark-to-light transition occurs prior to the initiation of CO2 fixation by Rubisco in the Calvin cycle.  A mechanism known as cyclic electron transfer (CET) exists that generates the proton motive force required to drive ATP synthesis without…

RAF2 is a Rubisco Assembly Factor in Arabidopsis thaliana

The assembly of the carbon fixing enzyme Rubisco is a complex process and involves many chaperones including RAF1, RbcX and the chaperonins. Recent evidence pointed to the existence of another chaperone, RAF2, conserved among photosynthetic organisms. The protein has similarity to pterin-4α-carbinolamine…

Symphony of the regulators: How do plants control complex responses to environmental signals?

There are several models we use to conceptualize how plants respond to environmental signals through transcriptional regulation. In perhaps the best-understood model, the perception of some environmental signal flows through one or several mechanisms to a master regulator, often a transcription factor…

Update: SnRK1 kinase as a central mediator of energy signaling between different organelles (Plant Physiology)

The heterotrimeric SNF1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) in plants is an orthologue of yeast SNF1 (sucrose non-fermenting 1) kinase and the mammalian AMPK (AMP-58 activated protein kinase). A significant array of genetic evidence during the past years has identified SnRK1 as a key regulator of cellular…

C4 photosynthesis evolved in warm climates but promoted migration to cooler ones

Ecol. Lett. C4 photosynthesis represents a biochemical CO2-concentrating mechanism that increases Rubisco-mediated carboxylation of RuBP and reduces photorespiration. However, there is an energy cost associated with C4 photosynthesis, and so it is presumed to become advantageous over C3 photosynthesis…

Rewiring of the fruit metabolome in tomato breeding

Cell. The tomato plant has been of keen interest to mankind for centuries, and its domestication led to delicious fruits much larger than their wild, bitter-tasting ancestors. Domestication of tomato had many intended outcomes (increased fruit size, less bitter taste), and several unintended consequences.…

Hidden shift of the ionome of plants exposed to elevated CO2 depletes minerals at the base of human nutrition

eLife. Free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) has been used to surround plants with an elevated concentration of CO2 (eCO2) during growth, and has consistently conferred an increase in carbon assimilation and plant productivity.  However, the effect of eCO2 on nutrient status of the plant is unclear due to…

The G protein β subunit, AGB1, interacts with FERONIA in RALF1-regulated stomatal movement

Plant Physiol. Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins participate in numerous processes including the regulation of hormonal responses and environmental stress. G proteins are composed of three subunits: Gα, Gβ, and Gγ. AGB1, a Gβ protein, forms a non-covalent dimer with a Gγ subunit,…